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Home My WebLink About2020-14-09 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council LOUIS RIGBY BILL BENTLEY Mayor Councilperson District 3 BRANDON LUNSFORD OF A Councilperson At Large A A. 0,A THOMAS GARZA STEVE GILLETT !� .► Councilperson District 4 Councilperson At Large B �j P‘m JAY MARTIN DANNY EARP Councilperson District 5 Councilperson District 1 NANCY OJEDA CHUCK ENGELKEN s Councilperson District 6 Councilperson District 2 TExp Mayor Pro-Tern MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 The City Council of the City of La Porte met in a regular meeting on Monday, September 14, 2020, at the City Hall Council Chambers, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 6:00 p.m., with the following in attendance: Councilpersons present: Louis Rigby, Danny Earp, Chuck Engelken, Bill Bentley, Thomas Garza (left before the invocation), Jay Martin Councilpersons attending remotely: Brandon Lunsford, Steve Gillett, Nancy Ojeda Councilpersons absent: None Council-appointed officers present: Corby Alexander, City Manager; Lee Woodward, City Secretary; Clark Askins, Assistant City Attorney 1. CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Rigby called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Rigby reminded Councilperson Garza that the Council's adopted Rules of Procedure required Councilpersons to wear a mask during Council meetings. The Mayor reminded Councilperson Garza that he had the opportunity to attend the meeting electronically and could go to his office in City Hall. Councilperson Garza said he was exempted from wearing a face covering for medical reasons and would not be wearing one. The Mayor asked the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Councilperson Garza. Councilperson Garza moved that the Council contravene the Mayor's direction. The motion did not receive a second and was not considered. Councilperson Garza was escorted from the room. 2. INVOCATION — The invocation was given by Reverend Kevin Gilmore, First Methodist Church, and pledges were led by Councilperson Jay Martin. 3. CITIZEN COMMENT (Generally limited to five minutes per person; in accordance with state law, the time may be reduced if there is a high number of speakers or other considerations.) Barbara Norwine expressed a concern about Bandido and Nomad motorcycle gang members in the community. Deborah Arrona offered her concern about District 4 residents not having adequate representation due to the Council requirement for face coverings. Mayor Rigby shared with Mrs. Arrona that there were three at-large members of the Council to represent all City districts and also that Councilperson Garza was able to attend meetings remotely and had not chosen to. Without objection, the Council agreed to permit Alton Porter to speak during item 5(c). 4. CONSENT AGENDA (Approval of Consent Agenda items authorizes each to be implemented in accordance with staff recommendations provided. An item may be removed from the consent agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for full discussion upon request by a member of the Council present at this meeting.) a. Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting held on August 24, 2020. [Louis R. Rigby, Mayor] b. Adopt Ordinance 2020-3798, changing the number of authorized Patrolmen for the Police Department from sixty (60)to sixty-three (63). [Steve Deardorff, Chief of Police] c. Accept right-of-way dedication deed to allow for construction of sidewalk on north side of W. Main St., between 7th Street and 8th Street. [Ray Mayo, Public Works Director] d. Reject all bids received regarding Sealed Bid #20010 for the Five Points Plaza Enhancements Pavilion and Restrooms Project. [Ray Mayo, Public Works Director] Page 1 of 3 September 14, 2020, Council Meeting Minutes Mayor Pro Tern Engelken moved to approve the consent agenda with an amendment to rebid item d and bring it back to the Council; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Earp; the motion was adopted, 8-0. 5. STATUTORY AGENDA a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2020-3797, amending Ordinance 2020-3787 to update the order of election for the City of La Porte 2020 General Election, in relation to early voting locations, dates, and hours. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary] Mayor Pro Tem Enqelken moved to adopt Ordinance 2020-3797, amending Ordinance 2020-3787 to update the order of election for the City of La Porte 2020 General Election, in relation to early voting locations, dates, and hours; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Earp; the motion was adopted, 8-0. b. Presentation,discussion,and possible action to approve candidates to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees for a six-year term. [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Mayor Pro Tern Engelken moved to approve the staff-recommended candidates for Places 2-4 to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees for a six-year term; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Earp. Mayor Pro Tem Enqelken moved to amend his motion to write in Corby Alexander, City Manager of La Porte, Texas, for Place 1; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Earp; the motion was adopted 8-0. The amended main motion was adopted, 8-0. Place 1 -Corby Alexander, City Manager, City of La Porte Place 2 -John W. Fullen (Incumbent), Mayor of the City of Henderson Place 3 -Jeffery Snyder(Incumbent), City Manager for the City of Plainview Place 4 - Kimberly Meismer, Executive Director for General Operations for Kerrville c. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a petition by land owners for disannexation of a 4.8635-acre tract of land and a 3.8135-acre tract of land, both situated in the Enoch Brinson League, Abstract 5, Harris County, Texas. [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Mayor Pro Tem Enqelken moved that staff bring back an ordinance approving a petition by land owners for disannexation of a 4.8635-acre tract of land and a 3.8135-acre tract of land, both situated in the Enoch Brinson League,Abstract 5, Harris County, Texas; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Martin; the motion was adopted 7-1, Councilperson Earp voting against. d. Consider and discuss adjustments to the City's Fiscal Year 2020-21 Proposed Budget. [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Michael Dolby, Finance Director, reviewed the PowerPoint presentation. Councilperson Martin confirmed the Council would be able to review the expense allocations in Coronavirus Relief. Mr. Alexander committed to providing budgetary impact for a minimum employee $10/hour rate to the Council by the end of the week. 6. REPORTS a. Receive a report on the Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting. [Mayor Pro Tern Engelken] Mayor Pro Tem Engelken said the Fiscal Affairs Committee considered purchasing card expenditures and received the third-quarter investment report. b. Receive a report on the Drainage and Flooding Committee meeting. [Councilperson Martin] Councilperson Martin said the Drainage and Flooding Committee heard updates from the City Engineer on current and upcoming projects and would hold the next meeting on October 12. Page 2 of 3 September 14, 2020, Council Meeting Minutes 7. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS • Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, September 17 • Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting, September 24 • La Porte Development Corporation Board meeting, September 28 • City Council meeting, September 28 City Manager Corby Alexander said there were no reports. 8. COUNCIL COMMENTS Hear announcements concerning matters appearing on the agenda; items of community interest; and/or inquiries of staff regarding specific factual information or existing policy from the Mayor, Councilmembers, and City staff, for which no formal action will be discussed or taken. Councilpersons thanked Barbara Norwine and Deborah Arrona for their comments and the Mayor for responding, noting the Councilperson who was escorted out had options for participating and was described as 'abandoning' District 4; thanked the City staff and Council for the City's stable financial condition, particularly its ability to be performing as well as it is in the conditions related to COVID; asked the City Manager for a status on completion of the new Spencer sidewalk; reminded all that eight members of the Council approved the update to the Council's Rules of Procedure and the ability of Councilpersons to attend meetings remotely. 9. EXECUTIVE SESSION-The City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code Sec. 551.071(1)(A) - Pending or Contemplated Litigation, to discuss SV Sons Hwy. 146, LLC vs. City of La Porte. [Clark T. Askins, Assistant City Attorney] The Council adjourned into executive session at 7:06 p.m. 10. RECONVENE into regular session and consider action, if any,on item(s)discussed in executive session. The Council reconvened into open session at 7:54 p.m. ADJOURN —Wi(,J'raut object►- payor Rigby adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. t J Lei oodward, y1 Page 3 of 3 September 14, 2020, Council Meeting Minutes